Fifteen ABANDONED
by WavvyTheFur
Summary: Blurr/Echo fic for Regretfuldragon Based on the song Fifteen by Taylor Swift, please R&R! D No Slash for a change only some implied. This story has been discontinued
1. Prologue

Yay for a new fic! ;D This fic is dedicated to Regretfuldragon who owns Echo and inspired this fic. And this is also based on the song Fifteen by Taylor Swift. Yes the prologue is very very short but it gets the point across, SOMETHING IS MAJORLY WRONG! :O

Transformers Animated © Hasabro

**Prologue**

Blurr took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. It had been such a long time since he'd been to this planet, and his memories from the place where both pleasant and awful. He felt nervous, anxious, but most of all desperate. He had to know what had become of Bumblebee. Was he still with Prowl? Or had they separated? He hoped so. He may have no idea why he was going there, no bot seemed to have the courtesy to tell him, but he knew it wasn't good. Something wasn't right. Every bot he'd spoken to about going to Earth had given him an off look, as though wondering if they'd seem him again, and he was sure it wasn't the usual look everyone gave anybot talking about Earth, it was most definitely not that disbelieving look that asked "Why in pit would you want go there?" And not knowing want it was made Blurr's tanks churn uneasily.

"Listen up everyone," called Optimus to all the bots present, "Blurr is coming today…" As the Leader expected he was cut off…by none other than Prowl.

"WHAT?" Prowl growled, "Why is that pit-spawn coming _here_?" Optimus sighed, he'd been expecting this. Prowl's temper was legendary in the team nowadays, and although Prime couldn't blame him at all, he knew he was in for a fight with the ninja-bot.

"I didn't choose him Prowl, Ultra-Magnus choose him because he knows Earth the best of any bot on Cybertron. He'll be able to…"

"Stop right there!" Prowl snapped, "Don't you dare say it Optimus. He will never, ever be able to do _that_!" Suddenly a yellow and black femme walked in, her optics shining with annoyance.

"Alright Dad that's enough," she snapped, "Don't you think you've bitten Optimus' head off enough times today?" Prowl growled at Optimus before turning on his heel and storming off, not giving his daughter a second look. Optimus sighed again.

"Thanks for trying Echo," Optimus said gratefully, "I know that probably wasn't easy for you."

"Your right, it wasn't," Echo said sadly, "He doesn't need this now. I better go calm him down. Otherwise he'll have no room left. I just hope this Blurr guy is ready for the storm I tell you. I don't know what he did, but I've never heard Dad talk about anyone like that before. Ever." Giving the other Autobots a smile she walked down the hall after he father.

"This isn't going to go well Optimus," Ratchet murmured, "I don't know how much more Prowl can take."

"I know Ratchet, but there's nothing I can do about it," Optimus said sadly, "I just hope Blurr knows what he's doing."


	2. Chapter 1

Yay for the first chapter =D And now you get to find out what's wrong with them all. There will be some mixed Blurr love and bashing here, but more Blurr bashing next chapter. Then the fluff will begin. ^^

Enjoy! =)

Echo © Regretfuldragon

Transformers Animated © Hasabro

**Chapter 1**

Blurr felt his nervousness increase tenfold when the ship finally touch landed on Earth. He risked a look out of one of the ships windows and swallowed when he saw the whole team there, everyone, but there was definitely something wrong. He could see it from here. He could see Prowl with what looked like Bumblebee in his arms. But what confused him was the other yellow form on what looked to be Bumblebee's other side. Whoever it was, they were helping Prowl support Bumblebee…not good. The door to the ship finally opened after and age and Blurr drove out eagerly, unable to suppress the excitement of seeing Bumblebee again. But when he skidded to a halt infront of them, transforming mid-stop, he finally saw what was happening. Optimus looked the same, Bulkhead kept glancing nervously at Bumblebee, as though waiting for something to happen, Ratchet looked more old and tired than he usually did, as though he'd been up for countless nights. Prowl gave him the scowl of welcome he'd come to expect, but it was different, the hate didn't quite reach his optics. He looked depressed, as though he'd been sick for weeks. The bot he'd almost mistaken for Bumblebee was infact a femme. Her armour was the same colour as Bumblebee's with almost identical patterns, but her frame was very much like Prowl's, causing Blurr's spark to sink. But it sunk further when he finally laid his optics on Bumblebee. He'd been the only one to smile at him in greeting.

"Blurr," Bumblebee rasped his voice weak, he tried to move forwards but Prowl held him back. Bumblebee turned to him with a gentle smile, "It's Okay. You don't need to worry so much. I can do this." Prowl sighed and reluctantly let him go, allowing him to move towards Blurr. Bumblebee had dark circles under his eyes, and he looked weak and fragile. Something was very wrong. Bumblebee took a few shaky steps towards him before they were opposite each other, "It's good to see you," Bumblebee rasped with a smile that lit up his tired optics.

"Bee," Blurr said in despair, "What happened? You look awful!" Bumblebee flinched as though he'd been slapped.

"Oh well…" he sighed, his voice weaker, "So much for that…" Bumblebee sighed again then turned around and started to walk away, much slower than his usual fast, bubbly pace.

"Bee, let me help you," Prowl said gently moving towards him but Bee waved him away.

"Thanks Prowl, but no thanks," he said sincerely, giving him a small smile, "I told you I can do it." Then he grumbled; "Besides, you baby me too much." A small smile managed to worm its way onto the ninja-bot's faceplate at Bumblebee's joking tone, but when Bumblebee was out of sight Prowl glanced at Ratchet who nodded and followed Bumblebee out of sight.

"What I say?" Blurr asked confused.

"Incase you haven't noticed," Prowl growled, his attention turning back to Blurr, "He's been going through a fair bit of trouble."

"And how was I supposed to know that?" Blurr snapped, he really hated this bot.

"What and they never told you what you were here for?" Prowl sneered.

"Prowl," Optimus warned.

"No, he should know," Prowl snapped at his leader before turning his attention back to Blurr, "Do you know why you're here?"

"Ultra-Magnus said you needed as many posts here as possible so he sent me to help," Blurr hissed, "What's so vicious about that?"

"Ha! He doesn't even know!" Prowl snorted, "He doesn't have a clue!"

"What?" Blurr demanded, "Why am I here really?"

"Your not here just to help Blurr," Optimus said gently.

"They sent you here not to help, but to replace," the femme muttered darkly.

"Replace?" Blurr asked confused, "Replace who?"

"_Bumblebee_."

Blurr stared absent mindedly at the sky through the hole in his room. It was familiar to him. It had always been his, the room he and Bumblebee had choosen for him when he first came. He sighed when he thought of Bumblebee and what could have been, but could no longer be. Prowl had claimed him for his own, they were bonded, together forever. And nothing he could or would do would ever change that. The yellow femme had turned out to be their child, sinking Blurr deeper into depression. Echo was her name, the echo of what could have been. Blurr shut his eyes and tried to imagine himself with Bumblebee know, being able to watch _his_ sparkling grow up, not Prowl's. To bond with Bee, to be able to hold him would have been Blurr's dream come true. But that dream was over and it broke his spark just to think about it. Blurr's thought's drifted sadly to Bumblebee's situation now, unable to believe how badly he'd been lied to. Bumblebee…sweet, beautiful, kind forgiving Bumblebee…why did it have to happen to him? Why did he have to be dying? Blurr snarled. If he ever saw that wretched seeker, he'd…he'd…Blurr picked up a stone and threw it against the wall in his anger. How dare that decepticon infect _his_ Bumblebee! How dare he! He was sure his scowl mirrored Prowl's and that only made him angrier. How could that idiot let this happen? He clenched his fist. _He_ would have kept Bee safe. So why did he choose Prowl over him? Blurr sighed and flopped onto his berth, unable to answer his own questions. What could that washed ninja-bot give him that Blurr could not? A knock at his door distracted Blurr from his thoughts.

"Come in," Blurr called and Echo pushed her way into his room, "Hello."

"Hey," Echo said with a small smile, "Wondered if you were hungry." She held out a cube of energon that Blurr took gratefully.

"Thanks Echo," he said with a grateful smile.

"No problem," Echo said smiling back at him with a smile Blurr knew so well, "I needed to get away from that for a while anyways."

"From what?" Blurr asked, offering her a seat on his berth. She smiled at him and sat down next to him.

"Isn't it obvious?" Echo asked curiously, "Them. Mum and Dad. He worries for Mum a lot. Too much sometimes. I know it upsets him but he won't tell Dad."

"Upsets him how?" Blurr asked, now very interested.

"Because he's like me I guess," she said shrugging, "Thinks he can handle the world on his own and wants no bots help." Blurr had to admit she could be right; Bumblebee was renowned for his spirit, "Can't blame him much. Dad can get awful clingy sometimes."

"Clingy?" Blurr questioned.

"Like hew won't let him move out of the berth without his help," Echo explained with a sigh, "Like he won't let him walk to far incase he strains himself."

"Possessive bot," Blurr growled.

"He's not possessive!" Echo snapped angrily, "He worries about my mother, a lot. You know he's hardly slept since she took that hit for him…" Echo looked away.

"WHAT?" Blurr yelled in outrage, "That was supposed to be for Prowl? And Bee took the hit?" Echo nodded, "That scrap heap! That idiotic washed up no good…" But he was cut off by a punch to the faceplate.

"Don't you _dare_ talk about my father like that!" Echo snarled, "You don't have a clue what my family's been through!" With that she stormed out, leaving Blurr wide eyed on the berth, rubbing he cheek absent mindedly. She was very much like her mother, in almost everyway. He chuckled to himself as he remembered all the trouble he and Bee used to get into, what seemed like, a very long time ago.

Prowl watched as Bumblebee fell slowly back into recharge. The poor bot was so exhausted nowadays. Gently, he stroked his cheek. Sighing he laid down next to the sick bot and held him close. He hated this. It wasn't fair. Why did Bee have to be taken from him so soon? Why couldn't he be the one dying…he would give anything to go back and stop Bee taking that hit. But now he was cursed to watch his bondmate slowly waste away, his spark fading more and more with every passing day. And rather than slowing down, the time seemed to be ticking by faster, as though everything was on fast forward. Prowl sighed again and shut off his optics, remembering the day well. It had just been the two of them. They'd asked the others to keep an eye on Echo so they could have some time alone. It wasn't much, just a walk through the forest, but it meant the world to them both. It felt great to be able to be alone with his bondmate again, to enjoy the peace of mind he felt when they were close. But things had gone from good to bad in a nano-click. Starscream had swooped out of the sky and pinned Prowl down, knocking Bee away as he did, demanding to know of any all-spark fragments. Of course Prowl told him where he could stick his all-spark fragments, which ticked the seeker off. He aimed his new weapon at the ninja-bot, saying he'd been waiting to test it on some poor little autobot weakling and he'd be the perfect subject. Just as Starscream had fired however Bumblebee had pushed Prowl out of the way, the dart Starscream had fired lodging in Bumblebee's neck cables.

"Frag," Bumblebee had curse as he pulled the dart out, "Come here you stupid seeker, I'll rip your wings off." He'd started to run towards the bigger mech but had slipped halfway. Shaking himself, he got back up again and lunged for the retreating figure. Needless to say he missed and Starscream flew off, cackling into the air. Prowl remembered Bumblebee collapsing, his spark spinning with fear for his bondmate. What had Starscream hit him with? Suddenly Prowl heard a yell from somewhere in the base.

"WHAT?" came a yell that sounded like Blurr's. Prowl onlined his optics and sat up, wondering what was happening. He heard a groan beside him and looked to see Bumblebee looking up at him.

"What was that?" he rasped, his silvery blue optics wide. He pushed himself up to a sitting position with some effort. There was a loud clang and the sound of a shout that sounded like Echo. Then there was a loud bang like a door being slammed shut.

"Sounds like Blurr's managed to frag off Echo," Prowl said, "I'll go see what's happened." Prowl pushed himself off the berth and looked at his bondmate in surprise when he saw him doing the same.

"What are you doing?" Prowl asked.

"Going to see what's wrong with our sparkling," Bumblebee said in a tone that meant he wasn't going to listen to arguments, and he walked out, more strength in him that Prowl had seen in days.

"Do you feel better?" Prowl asked, walking beside him.

"Not really, but I'm not going to sit there and ignore my daughter, not matter what state I'm in," Bumblebee said, his voice still weak. They were almost to the main room when Echo came storming down the hall.

"Echo," Bumblebee called and the femme turned to face them in surprise.

"Mum!" she gasped, "What are you doing out of bed?" Echo ran over to them both, her optics filled with concern.

"You're as bad as your father you know that," Bumblebee grumbled, "I'm fine. Or as fine as I can be." Prowl smiled a little, _at least he hasn't changed_.

"What was that about just now?" Prowl asked and Echo sighed.

"Idiot needs to learn to keep his thoughts to himself," Echo growled, "I won't let him talk about you how he does Dad. It makes me so mad." Echo snarled, angry tears forming in her optics.

"Oh Echo," Bumblebee said gently, hugging his daughter, "Don't be too angry my dear. Your father…" But when Bumblebee turned to look at Prowl he was already storming down the hallway, his servos ready to rip Blurr apart. How dare he make his daughter so angry, so upset! That damn racer was going to die!

"Your father is already gone…" he heard Bumblebee sigh, "Come on, we'd better catch him up or they'll be no Blurr left to speak of." Echo laughed a little, a few tears still in her optics. In a very motherly way, Bumblebee wiped them away gently and kissed his daughter's helm. "Don't worry about what he said my dear, we'll get him back." Echo nodded and took her mothers offered servo.

"Now we really do have to go, I want some of his aft left so I can kick it!" Bumblebee added and the mother and daughter walked down the hallway after Prowl.


	3. Chapter 2

This starts of with Blurr bashing, gets some fluff in there then turns to EXTREME angst! I warn you, YOU WILL NEED TISSUES! Very sad chapter =( Poor Prowl…Poor Echo…Poor Bee…

Echo © Regretfuldragon

Transformers Animated © Hasabro

**Chapter 2**

Prowl banged on the door before kicking it down. Blurr looked at him with wide indignant optics.

"Hey! That was my door you just kicked down you aft!" Blurr growled. Prowl snarled and leapt at Blurr. Blurr did what came with instinct. He moved his servo's to defend himself, while attacking the bot assaulting him at the same time. It went on like this for a few moments, Prowl and Blurr trying to rip each other apart, until there was a loud bang. Both looked up to see Bumblebee standing with Echo in the doorway.

"Alright, alright, break it up," Bumblebee said walking in and pulling Blurr off Prowl.

"Thanks Bee," Blurr said with a triumphant smirk at Prowl, who scowled back at him.

"You're welcome," Bumblebee said with a gentle smile. Suddenly Blurr felt a fist make contact with the side of his helm, knocking him to the floor, "And if you ever dare hurt my daughter's feelings again…well…there is a fate worth than death put it that way, got that?" Blurr nodded quickly, staring up at Bumblebee's furious snarl in surprise.

"Good," Bumblebee said with a light smile, "Now let's see what I can do about your door." Bumblebee walked over and picked up the door, inspecting the damage. Prowl blinked in surprise. How had Bee gotten so strong? Was this a good sign?

"Primus Prowl how angry where you?" Bumblebee asked in surprise, "You've practically destroyed the door!" Prowl looked away, upset by Bumblebee's angry tone. Then he felt a gentle servo on his cheek, making him look at the smaller yellow bot. Bumblebee smiled gently.

"That's my Prowler," Bumblebee said softly with Prowl's favourite smile before leaning in to kiss the ninja-bot on the lips. Prowl's optics widened with surprise, this was different. Not that he didn't enjoy it, or the jealous look that crossed Blurr's faceplate. Bumblebee drew away, leaving the ninja-bot's faceplate cherry red. Bumblebee suddenly pointed at Echo without turning to her daughter.

"And you can stop that missy," Bumblebee said with a grin that Echo couldn't see. Echo had been making gagging noises and motions in the door way, obviously this hadn't escaped her mothers notice.

"But Mum its gross!" Echo complained, "Do you two _have_ to do that?" Bumblebee seemed to be out to embarrass his daughter today because he happily hugged Prowl around the middle and turned his helm to his daughter.

"No one told you to watch," Bumblebee said smoothly, "Me and your Dad just enjoy sharing a kiss, don't we Prowly?" Prowl face palmed, as if Prowler wasn't bad enough…Echo laughed appreciatively.

"Ha!" Echo said with glee, "Bumblebee and Prowly sitting in a tree…"

"Alright now your gonna get it," Bumblebee said with a grin and Echo squeaked, running down the hallway. Bumblebee tried to run after her. Had Bumblebee been fine, the speed demon would have easily caught up with his daughter in a matter of moments. But he wasn't. Bumblebee managed to get to the doorway before his legs collapsed from beneath him. Prowl immediately sprinted over, picking him up. Echo spotted her mother go down and ran back to help. Bumblebee groaned.

"You alright Bee?" Prowl asked as he scooped him into his arms, Blurr arriving at his side not a second later, his optics full of concern.

"Yeah…I'm fine," Bumblebee groaned and suddenly he clutched his chassis, wincing in pain. Prowl knew something was badly wrong, he could feel the pain across their bond which was rare. It took a bot to be in a lot of pain for their bondmate to feel it, "No, not fine." Bumblebee gasped in pain, "That really hurts!"

"Blurr go and get Ratchet," Prowl ordered and Blurr ran off, the two ignoring their differences for Bumblebee's sake, "Echo?" Echo nodded at her father and took her mother from him.

"Okay Mum where does it hurt?" the medic in training asked.

"My….spark!" Bumblebee groaned, gasping with agony, "It feels…argh it's like its on fire!" Prowl desperately sent calming waves through their bond, trying to help distract him from the pain as much as he could. Bumblebee sent him back a few reassuring pulses before he keened in agony.

"Ratchet's not taught me how to help with sparks yet!" Echo cried, clearly upset by her inability to help her mother.

"Its Okay Ratchet will be here in a minute," Prowl said, trying to calm them both, as well as himself, "Just hang on Bee." Bumblebee keened in agony again, his ventilations hitching in pain.

"Let me go!" Ratchet shouted from just down the hall and Prowl turned towards the noise. Blurr had Ratchet held in the air, running at them as fast as the added weight would allow, "I don't like being man-handled!" Blurr put him down and Ratchet instantly spotted Bumblebee.

"Bee!" Ratchet called in alarm and ran over, "Echo what's his status?"

"He says his spark feels like its burning," Echo told her mentor quickly, "It started after he fell trying to run after me."

"Give him to me," Ratchet ordered and Echo gave her mother over to the more experienced medic, "Okay Bee tell me what's happening to your spark."

"The burning…my spark…it…" then Bee went limp in the medic's arms.

"Bee!" Prowl cried in a panic. Ratchet opened Bumblebee's chassis quickly. Prowl peered over and gasped in horror at what he saw. Bumblebee's spark was flinching in its casing, sending out random and what like very painful electrical surges. Ratchet closed his chassis again, a grim look on his faceplate.

"Echo you're with me," Ratchet said his voice stern, "Prowl, go and wait in the main room with the others." With that Ratchet took Bumblebee and carried him down the hall to the med-bay, Echo on his heels. Leaving Prowl staring spark broken after them. Everything was going so well, he looked so strong, so much healthier than he had in months…and now…Prowl pushed himself numbly to his pedes and forced himself into the main room. The others watched him come in, their optics full of sympathy as he slid down the wall nearest the door. Jazz, who'd arrived a few weeks before Blurr to help the change over process, quickly sat next to his best friend and put a comforting shoulder on his servo.

"He'll be alright Prowl," Jazz said comfortingly, "Bee's strong, you know that." Prowl nodded numbly and put his helm in his servos. Jazz sat next to him the whole time they waited there, everyone around them sitting in a deathly silence. About two megacycles later the sound of feet shuffling in could be heard.

"Prowl," Jazz said shaking his friends shoulder. Prowl looked up and followed Jazz's concerned gaze. There was Echo, standing in the doorway looking more upset than Prowl had ever seen her. Prowl pushed himself to his pedes.

"Echo," he said softly and his daughter stepped over to him, looking like she was on the verge of tears. Prowl pulled her into a hug, "Are you alright?" Echo shock her head in the embrace.

"I couldn't take it anymore Dad," she cried, allowing the tears to fall, "I couldn't watch anymore so Ratchet sent me out to calm down."

"Is he alright?" Prowl asked in concern and Echo shock her head again, burying her helm in her fathers chassis.

"Ratchet can't get it to stop…" she said in a small voice, then she added in a much smaller and frightened voice, "He's dying Dad." Prowl's spark sunk but he had to stay strong for Echo.

"It'll be Okay Echo," Prowl said soothingly, kissing his daughter on the top of her helm and then laying his helm on top of hers, hugging her close as she sobbed in his chassis. _He has to be Okay_, Prowl thought; _he can't leave us, me_. _I can't live without him_. And silence fell again.

Echo ended up sitting curled into herself on the couch with Blurr. She didn't pay him any notice though, to be honest, she couldn't care less what anyone was doing right now, she just wanted her Mum to be Okay. Her Dad was pacing up and down by the doorway. He'd started doing this once Echo had finished crying and sat down three megacycles ago.

"What's taking him so long?" Prowl muttered not faltering his pace. But there was no answer to that. But atleast they knew Bumblebee was still alive if Ratchet wasn't here. He was fighting on.

"He'll be Okay you know," Blurr said softly to Echo, "He's a fighter, your mother." Echo turned to him.

"You think so?" she asked.

"I know so," Blurr said with a soft smile, "Me and you Mum used to get up to all sorts together." Prowl sent Blurr a hostile glare that Echo missed, but he was to worried about his bondmate to stop his pacing.

"Really?" Echo said with a sad smile, "Like what?"

"Blurr I would prefer it if you didn't tell Echo what her mother used to get up to," Optimus said with a small smile, "We don't need another Bumblebee around here, one was bad enough." Echo smiled at this but she heard her father growl behind her.

"There will never be another Bumblebee," Prowl growled defensively, managing to glare at Prime as he paced, "No one will ever replace him." Prowl then sent a glare Blurr's way before looking at the floor, lost in though again.

"It was a joke Prowl," Blurr growled but Prowl ignored him.

"Please, tell me what he did," Echo begged, anything to distract her from the fact her mother was dying not two rooms down from here.

"Well, there's one thing I'll always remember," Blurr said with a fond smile, "It was the first time he ever taught me how to play a prank on someone. He got me to run through the corridors screaming about a decepticon attack. Of course all this lot ran out of their rooms and up the hall, and right into our trap. Bee had laid this grease stuff on the floor and I tell you it worked like a charm. Everyone of them feel on their afts. Then again," Blurr rubbed the back of his head, "I don't think I ever did get the dent out the back of my head that Ratchet gave me for that one." Echo giggled appreciatively.

"And you never will," Ratchet said from the doorway. Instantly every bot in the room turned to face him. He looked tired but also slightly relieved. But Echo thought she saw something else in her mentor's optics, but it was gone to quick for her to tell.

"Is…Is…Is he?" Prowl asked having stopped pacing for the first time, his optics desperate.

"He's online," Ratchet said and the tension in the room deflated significantly, "And stable."

"He's alright…" Prowl said sighing with relief.

"Go and see him Prowl," Ratchet said, "He's not awake but you should see him." Prowl nodded, not needing to be told twice. He ducked out of the room quickly and hurried down the hall. Echo moved to follow him but Ratchet blocked her off.

"No Echo," Ratchet said shaking his helm, "Lets give your father some time alone with your mother."

"Why?" Echo demanded, "I want to see him."

"Because I want to explain what's happened to you lot first," Ratchet said motioning for Echo to sit down, "But Echo I need you to be strong. Your father's going to need you; he won't be able to cope with this one on his own." And then Ratchet told them, everything.

Prowl traced circles around his bondmates chassis, waiting patiently for him to wake up. He was content to wait as long as it took. It was nice to hold his bondmate in his arms after the many long megacycles he'd just spent wondering if he'd ever be able to do this again. Prowl trailed kissed down Bumblebee's helm, hoping to wake him up because although he was content as he was, he needed to reassure himself Bumblebee was alright. But Bumblebee didn't respond. Prowl sighed and went back to absent mindedly tracing Bee's chassis. _Surely he should be awake by now_, Prowl thought to himself, _Ratchet said he was alright, so why isn't he waking up_?

"Come on Bee," Prowl said softly in Bumblebee's audio's, not hearing two bots enter the room, "Wake up, show me your Okay."

"He won't wake up Prowl," Ratchet said sympathetically and Prowl looked up in surprise having no heard him come in. Ratchet was standing with Echo, who was being unusually quiet, looking at the floor.

"Why?" Prowl demanded, "You said he was alright."

"No Prowl," Ratchet said softly, "I said he was stable. Not that he was alright." Prowl swallowed. Now that he thought about it, the medic hadn't said once that Bumblebee was _alright_; only that he was still online and stable.

"What's wrong with him?" Prowl asked, his voice shaking with fear for his bondmate, holding him closer, almost protectively to his chassis. Ratchet walked over and put a comforting hand on Prowl's shoulder.

"I'm sorry Prowl, I'm really sorry," Ratchet said, his optics betraying how devastated he was too, "Bumblebee can't wake up, and probably never will again." Prowl let out a keen of distress, "He's in second lock stasis." Prowl spark broke. _No…No no no no no no no no no_! _It couldn't be…no…not Bumblebee_.

"No…" Prowl said, his voice shaking with horror, "No it can't be! Not Bumblebee! Not my Bumblebee!" Prowl looked down at the mech in his arms. His optics were offline and he was completely limp and immobile in Prowl's arms. Prowl sent a wave of panic across their bond, silently begging Bumblebee to stop fooling and wake up. But he got no reply. No pulses of reassurance or affection from his other…just…_nothing_. Prowl felt very alone, very empty without his other. Although he knew Bumblebee was online, the chances of him waking up were slim at best. How could he go on living knowing he may never see Bumblebee smile at him again? To never have him hold him close? It couldn't be over, it couldn't. Prowl felt tears fall down his faceplate as the awful truth made itself known. He'd lost Bumblebee, maybe forever.

"BEE!" Prowl cried loudly, the tears streaming down faster now, "NO! You promised me! You promised me you'd never leave me! You can't…I _can't_…" Prowl cried, his helm on Bumblebee's, his optics off as he rocked the younger bot in his arms, shaking with uncontrollable grief. He felt a pair of loving arms wrap around his side and pull him into a hug. And that's how they stayed, Echo holding onto her father in an attempt to calm him, Prowl holding onto Bumblebee as he cried for all he was worth and Ratchet, unsure of what to do, merely looking at the floor, while shedding a few tears of his own.


	4. Chapter 3

Yeah this chapter is short…but I couldn't think of anything to add without it getting more boring than it already is -_-

Echo © Regretfuldragon

Transformers Animated © Hasabro

**Chapter 3**

Echo sighed as she sat on her berth in the room next to her parent's one. It had taken the better part of a week to convince her father to leave the med bay and right now she was listening to her father's cries of loss through the wall. She couldn't tell if he just wanted Bumblebee to come back and didn't care about the noise he was making, or he didn't know how loud he was being. This week had been hard on everyone. Optimus looked down and was at a loss on how to help patch his broken sparked team back together. To cope with the loss, everyone seemed to have banded into groups. Ratchet and Optimus had grouped off together so they could work more effectively at combating this sudden change in the group. Then there was Blurr, Jazz and Bulkhead, all trying to come to terms with what had happened in their own way. Then there was Prowl, who had decided he didn't want to know anyone but Echo and Ratchet, and therefore turned away or ignored every mech otherwise. Off all the bots, Prowl had sunk the furthest. He's become more moody than he had been before, snapping at anyone, when he wasn't ignoring them, for the smallest thing. The only one who hadn't felt his temper was Echo. It was clear that although he trusted Ratchet to look after Bumblebee, Echo was the only one he truly trusted with anything anymore. Even Jazz had been turned away when he'd tried to comfort his best friend. Echo sighed again, knowing exactly what the problem was. The group had lost the one thing that held them all together and made them laugh and smile at the darkest of times. Bumblebee. And although Echo drifted from group to group in a desperate attempt to help and try to do what her mother did so easily, it was a lot harder than it looked. If you asked her to treat a bot with all its limps ripped off Echo could fix them, but patching this team together was very nearly impossible. Then she heard a soft knock at her door, distracting her from her thoughts.

"Come in," she called; onlining one optic and she felt a flicker of surprise to see Blurr make his way in.

"Hey," Blurr said with a smile, "I was just wondering if you wanted any company?" Echo smiled back at him, it was very easy to get on with this bot.

"I'd love some company," she said, "Thanks Blurr." Blurr smiled at her again and limped over. Watching his painful limp made her remember how he'd got hurt like that. The biggest and most obvious of all the divides in the group was between Prowl and Blurr. If any bot thought there was a divide between them before they'd seen nothing. It had all started when Optimus had given Blurr a patrol to do, the patrol Bumblebee usually went on everyday. Needless to say it hadn't gone down well with Prowl when he realized who he'd be patrolling with, and of course, it didn't even take the lost in grief bot long to see what Optimus had done. Blurr was now going to start replacing Bumblebee's role on the team, something that Prowl had taken an extreme dislike to.

"You CAN'T replace Bumblebee you no good fragger of a leader," Prowl had snarled at Optimus, "So don't you DARE try! Or I'll dismantle you and kick the pieces from here to Cybertron!"

"Prowl you need to get over this aversion to Blurr doing Bumblebee's duties," Optimus had bravely said, trying to defend his actions, "Bumblebee can't do his duties right now so we need someone else to do it for him." _Wrong thing to say_, Echo remembered thinking. Prowl had then screamed the poor Prime's audio's off, asking him how he dared say that, that, Bumblebee wasn't gone and he shouldn't act like he was, and that no tin can racer was ever going to replace his bondmate no matter what he said.

"Cool you circuits Prowl," Blurr had snapped at Prowl, "I think you've made your point clear. Now go mope in your room and let us get on with life." Prowl had then turned on the blue racer, a glint of sheer fury Echo had never seen in her father before showing in his optics. Prowl had leapt at Blurr and Blurr, blaming Prowl for what had happened to Bumblebee, had met his attack head on. The two then proceeded to fight each other, not to hurt, but to kill. It had taken the force of Bulkhead, Prime, Jazz, Echo and Ratchet to pry the two away from each other, Bulkhead and Prime holding Prowl back with Echo trying to cool him down, and Jazz holding Blurr down while Ratchet tried to help him as he struggled out of the Elite Guard's grasp. The two had glared at each other as they were held back, hostility not yet spent. In the end, Prowl had walked away with a long gash down his chassis, dents littering his frame and a broken servo, where Echo suspected he'd hit Blurr too hard. Blurr on the other hand had not been so fortunate. One of his legs had been badly damaged but it was repairable, he had one of his optics almost destroyed but thankfully Echo had managed to fix that, leaving only a dark print around it that would soon fade, something Echo suspected her father took great pride in looking at, as well as several gashes and dents all over his armour. Both had also received a hit to the helm with Ratchet's wrench and told to stay away from each other. Echo still didn't know why the two hated each other so much. She couldn't understand how anyone couldn't like Blurr. He was playful and easy to get on with.

"So how have you been holding up?" Blurr asked, cutting across her thoughts again.

"Better than some bots, but not great," Echo sighed and Blurr gave her a sympathetic look, "Honestly, I feel horrible inside. My Mum was so easy to talk to and she made me feel so safe and wanted. But Dad…I love him, Primus I do, but I don't find my Dad as easy to talk to. And now…I have to pretend to be Okay for him. I don't want to hurt him anymore." She looked down at the weight of the confession she'd just made. Every word was true. She loved her father dearly, but he was so mysterious and unpredictable, and she often wondered how two so different mechs ever fell in love. But her father was the bot she always wanted to be. He was so strong and brave, and she'd always looked up to him, hoping that one day she'd be just like him.

"It's not fair you have to do that for your father," Blurr said with a sigh, "It's such a big burden for you. I don't doubt that you can take it but you shouldn't be put through this."

"It'll get better though," Echo said weakly, not really believing her own words, "When Mum wakes up, everything will be fine again." It was clear from the sympathetic look on Blurr's face he didn't believe it either. Suddenly Prowl let out another loud cry from his room next door.

"Does he always do that?" Blurr asked with a disapproving frown.

"Yeah," Echo said looking away, "He really misses Mum."

"I do to, but you don't hear me crying like that," Blurr said.

"But you don't understand how he feels," Echo snapped, defending her father, she was the only one who had any right to put him down, and to slag would she let him do it, "He's lost the one he loves, his bondmate. You just lost a friend." Blurr narrowed his optics at her.

"So he didn't tell you," Blurr said, his voice interested, "Haven't you ever wondered why we hate each other so much?"

"Of course," Echo said, her anger evaporating when she realized he had answers for her, "But Dad never told me."

"Well I will then," Blurr said, "He hates me and I hate him. And this is why."

**_FLASHBACK_**

Blurr growled at the mech infront of him. The black cyber-ninja had a victorious smile on his dumb faceplate, making the urge to punch him much harder to resist.

"No!" Blurr growled, "This isn't true! He's lying. Tell me he's lying Bee."

"No he's not," Bumblebee said, "Me and Prowl are together. What's the problem? I thought you'd be happy for me." The last few words filled with hurt and Blurr realized Bumblebee had hoped for his best friend's acceptance, not fury. But there was no way in Pit he was going to let Prowl win that easily.

"But I love you Bumblebee!" Blurr cried, "I love you far more than he ever did. Please, choose me. I can make you truly happy. We were meant for each other." Bumblebee stepped back in shock at Blurr's revelation, his optics full of confusion.

"No I love him more than you," Prowl snapped at Blurr, "You only love him for his personality and the fact he likes to race, nothing else. You don't love the whole Bumblebee."

"Is that so?" Blurr snapped back, "You only love Bumblebee for his frame and clear beauty. You don't love the true mech at all. At least I love him for him and not his _aft_!" Prowl growled at the racer, looking ready to dismantle the other mech. Instead of feeling afraid Blurr wanted Prowl to try and beat him. _Let him try_, Blurr thought, _I'll kick his stupid ninja aft back to Cybertron_!

"Stop it both of you!" Bumblebee cried and Prowl and Blurr both froze. They'd never heard so much distress in Bumblebee's voice, "Blurr I'm really really sorry but I just don't see you like that. I love you like you're my brother, but not the way you love me. Please, I don't want to lose my best friend over this."

"No! I refuse to believe this!" Blurr snapped, "He's tricked you I know it! You love me, I know you do! Just you wait, you'll see." With that Blurr had stormed off, utterly spark-broken.

"Well you delude yourself with that Blurr," Prowl had shouted after him, "Bumblebee is _mine_ and don't you forget it!" Blurr's frame shock in fury as he pushed into his room, fighting the angry tears the whole time, not seeing the spark-broken look on Bumblebee's faceplate as he did so.

**_END FLASHBACK_**

"And that's really it to be honest," Blurr finished once he was done explaining everything. Echo's optics had been wide the whole time. She was in complete shock. They…they had both fought, over her _Mother_? Part of her wondered if she'd ever have two mechs fighting over her, while another part shivered, wondering who she would have choosen had she been in her mothers place.

"I know it's a lot to digest," Blurr said softly, "I leave you to think on it." Blurr gave her a farewell smile that she returned, and he limped out. Who would she have choosen? Briefly she wondered what it would have been like to have Blurr as a father, but as soon as she thought about it she felt horribly guilty. _Prowl was her father and no one else_, she thought, shaking any other thoughts from her head angrily, although one part of her panged with a jealousy and longing she couldn't understand. She heard another loud cry from her father's room and she frowned uncertainly when she realized that was no longer a question she could answer.


	5. Chapter 4

I'd like to give some credit to DreamStoryWeaver for a few of the ideas in this chapter =D

And I would recommend listening to the song Comatose by Skillet when you read this chapter ^^ That's the song I wrote it too. ;)

Echo © Regretfuldragon

Transformers Animated © Hasabro

**Chapter 4**

Bumblebee could feel himself drifting. It was like being between two places. One was life…pain…love. The other was death…peace…sorrow…grief. But what did he want? He didn't know. And so, he drifted on.

Memories…

Happy…sad…painful…joyful…loving…

Where was he?

Stuck…alone…somewhere between life and death…

More memories…Blurr…

The blue racer gave him and an almost confused look when he suggested they prank someone. _Come on_, he'd insisted, _It'll be fun_!

…_Fun_…

Prowl…

The black cyber-ninja smiled down at him, his optics a dark lustful loving blue…The first time they interfaced. _I love you_, Prowl had whispered so softly in his audios.

…_Love_…

Blurr's face fell as Prowl's rose into a triumphant smile. Blurr stormed down the hallway, ignoring Bumblebee's desperate calls. He could feel his spark shattering then…he could feel it now…

…_Pain_…

Why did everything have to hurt?

Then he felt as though he was sinking in dark water, slowly down…slowly…slowly…but he could see up through it. Ratchet?

"Come on Bee, we need you back," Ratchet said, his voice clear through the water, "Everything's falling apart without you, you little glitch." A tear fell from his optics…Time blurred past.

Blurr? _Was that you_? _I need to tell him I'm sorry, I have to_…But he couldn't speak…

"Bee…I miss you…so much…" Blurr said softly, "Please…don't go…" But he was gone…more time passed…

Echo? _My darling daughter…no don't cry…I'm here_! _I'm here_! _I haven't left you_.

"Mum…" she sobbed, "You can't go…what will I do without you Mum? I need you…come back…please…stop fooling…come back to us…" And she was gone too.

Then I was sure I was dying…

The angel had come for me…to take me to the next world…but…no…this wasn't right…why was he crying? The angel shouldn't cry.

"Bee…" the angel sobbed, "My beautiful Bumblebee…I…I can't…go on…I need you…Please…" he felt gentle, warm, loving arms cradle his numb body, "You have to wake up…what will I do without you? Everything is wrong…so wrong…" Bumblebee tried to move his arm, to reach up and comfort his broken angel, but his arms just wouldn't move, they were to heavy and the water was too thick…too dark…too cold, "I love you…so much…my beautiful little Bumblebee…" and the angel broke into sobs, unable to control himself anymore.

"Prowl…" he managed to whisper before the darkness claimed him and he saw no more…just drifting…drifting…drifting…down…down…down…

into…

_nothing_…

Echo knocked on her father's door, swallowing her nerves. She knew what she was doing was stupid and risky, but she couldn't think of any other bot who would give her a serious answer…not that she was likely to get one off her father either once he heard what she was asking him.

"Come in," came Prowl's short tempered reply and Echo pushed in. Her father was sitting in his tree on one of the lowest branches. Echo knew that was one of his favourite places to sit with her mother. No wonder he's grumpy, Echo thought.

"Dad, you know sitting up there own your own won't do you any good," Echo said shutting the door. Prowl looked down at his daughter and gave her the closest thing to a smile he seemed to be able to manage these days.

"Yeah, but I can't help it," Prowl said leaping down and landing infront of her, "It makes me feel closer to him. But that's not the point. What brings you in here?"

"Am I not allowed to check on my Dad?" Echo asked, one optic ridge raised. Prowl gave a dry laugh.

"You look just like your mother when you do that," Prowl said with a fond smile, "And don't side step the question. I'm not a sparkling I can look after myself. Why are you in here really?" Echo rolled her optics. Sure he could look after himself. Would he have eaten or left the room in the last week if Echo hadn't been there and made sure he did. _No_.

"And that," Prowl said fondly, sitting on the berth, "Come and tell me what's on your mind." Prowl patted a spot on the berth next to him and Echo swallowed again, walking over and sitting next to him.

"I just wanted to know," Echo began, never having felt more nervous. She'd sooner face Megatron alone than ask her father his opinion on her and Blurr being friends. Prowl tilted his head curiously at her pause, clearly trying to judge her reaction. Echo chickened out, and went with her less nerve racking question, "Why didn't you tell me what happened between you and Blurr?" Her father's face fell and he let out a sigh of frustration.

"Who told you?" he demanded, "And what did they tell you?" Echo couldn't lie to those optics, they seemed to pierce her very soul.

"Blurr," she said looking down, "He told me…everything I guess. That he loved Mum, and so did you. How you fought over him and she choose you."

"And I bet he told you I was the most arrogant and possessive mech he's ever met," Prowl growled, not angry at his daughter.

"No," Echo said, "If he had his other optic would be damaged. No one insults you but me." Prowl actually smiled, for the first time since he'd learned of Bumblebee's fate, the smile actually touched his optics.

"Thanks Echo," he said, giving her an affectionate rub on the helm.

"Anytime," Echo said, smiling back, happy to see him smile again.

"Still," Prowl said, the smile falling again, "I bet you think I was a bit insensitive because I highly doubt he told you the whole story."

"A little," Echo admitted, "But what do you mean by the whole story?"

"We'll you've heard about his version of events," Prowl growled softly, before he calmed his tone, "But did he happen to tell you the sheer spark break he put your mother through when he wouldn't talk to her for weeks and then he…lets just say he did something I'd never ever let Bumblebee forgive him for, then just left. It took me months to convince him he wasn't the most horrible mech ever." Echo's optics widened.

"You mean, Mum didn't want to hurt him?" Echo asked.

"No!" Prowl said in surprise, "Never! As much as I hated it Blurr was like a brother to your mother. Before all that happened they were inseparable. All the trouble they used to get into. Prime had his work cut out for him keeping them from causing utter chaos." Echo smiled, she loved hearing about her mother from before she was born. He'd been so playful, so immature and happy, but by the time she'd been born, he'd grown up, become more mature. Still happy, but never as playful as mischievous as he had been. Yet again, she wished she could have seen her mother back then, to meet his younger more elaborate self. Then Echo remembered something else her father had said.

"What did you mean by 'he did something you wouldn't let Mum forgive him for'?" Echo asked and Prowl's optics flashed with rage at the memory.

"He was so wound up in his own bubble oh 'Poor me, Poor me'," Prowl growled, "He forced your mother to kiss him, and tried to get him to do more." Echo gasped, "Of course your mother swung at him he was so angry. He very nearly killed Blurr on that day, it was only by the luck of Primus Ratchet stopped him."

"But…but why?" Echo said in horror, "Why did he react like that?"

"You know, I honestly don't know," Prowl said thoughtfully, "I never really asked, I was kinda to happy he'd nearly murdered that glitch, then furious because he practically tried to rape him." Echo shuddered, not able to picture her mother so angry.

"But you don't have to worry about that kind of thing anymore," Prowl said soothingly, noticing her shudder, "Your mother is much calmer with his temper than he once was. But know this. Once he'd calmed down, your mother could hardly believe what he'd done. He felt so bad he ran off for nearly a week and we never saw him once. But by the time he came back, Blurr was already gone. He's never forgiven himself for that, ever. And I've never forgiven Blurr for hurting him so badly." Echo nodded in understanding. Of course her mother wasn't a total savage. He couldn't be.

"Well, thanks Dad," Echo said with a small smile, "Thanks for explaining it all to me."

"Anytime Echo, anytime," Prowl said with a soft half smile, and Echo got up to leave.

"Wait!" Prowl said, "I forgot to tell you, something…well strange, happened yesterday."

"Really?" she said turning back to him, "What was that?"

"I was with your mother," he said thoughtfully, staring into space, "I was just talking to him." _Lie_, Echo thought, he'd been crying again, she didn't need super powers to know that. "But I swear I heard him say something. It was really quiet, but he just said my name. I thought he'd woken up but then I checked and he was still…" _Maybe he really is going insane now_, Echo thought. Prowl laughed, but she could tell by his optics he wasn't joking, "Never mind, I think your Dad's going mad. Just forget I said anything." 

"Okay Dad, if you say so," Echo said, much preferring to pretend her Dad probably wasn't loosing his mind, "I'll see you later." And with that she walked out, shutting the door carefully behind her. Prowl frowned and looked thoughtfully away again.

More memories…not nice ones anymore…being younger…more naive…and so much more breakable…

He felt hands on his aft and he wanted to badly to scream, for the memory to be over…he didn't want to remember this…

He saw their optics, blood red…so greedy, so needing…

But he was helpless then…hopeless now…

More hands…wandering everywhere…_No, go away_! _Please, don't hurt me anymore_. _Please, just let me go_. And they did…

He was going…

Going…

Fading…

But not gone…

…_Not yet_…

Prowl sat by Bumblebee again. He was sure; absolutely positive he'd heard him call this morning. He'd heard Bumblebee call his name. Did that mean he was coming back? He knew Echo didn't believe him, that's why he dropped it, she probably thought he was insane. Prowl sighed and looked back down at the little bot in his arms. He was so still, it just wasn't Bumblebee like. But then his faceplate changed. The change was so small, Prowl only realized it because of all the time he'd spent staring at that faceplate. Ever so slightly, he looked like he was in pain.

"Ratchet," Prowl said to the medic who was working on something across the room. The medic lifted his head when he heard his name, "Do…do you think he's in pain?" Ratchet blinked in surprise and left what he was working on to come over.

"No bot knows Prowl," Ratchet said softly, putting a servo on his shoulder, "But I'm sure he's not in pain. I would never ever let him be in pain I promise." Prowl nodded, not taking his optics of Bumblebee. He was sure he'd seen the change, absolutely positive. Bumblebee was still in there. That sent a renewed sense of hope through Prowl's systems. His baby Bee was in there, he just had to wait for him. Ratchet let out a sigh and went back to what he was working on. Prowl held Bumblebee closer and rocked him like he would a sparkling, whispering loving words into his audios, praying with his entire spark his lover would come back to him soon.

Bumblebee wanted to scream…but he couldn't find his voice…when would this end? He just wanted it to end…he didn't want to remember this…those bots…what they did to him…

And then, they were gone…and he was alone again…

All…

…_Alone_

_What's happening now_? _Am I dying_? _Has Primus come for me at last_?

No

More memories…

Blurr…he brushed up against him, pinning him to a nearby tree…_No no no no no no no no_! _Not this again_! _Please no_!

He felt lips on his own, forceful, excited…_Get away_! _Please I don't want to see this again_!

Servos traveled down his body making him want to shiver so badly, but his body just wouldn't respond…_Please let it end_.

He felt rage flood through him…_No don't do it_! Too late…

Now they would never hurt him again…he'd shown them he could hurt them too…he'd shown Blurr…his blue optics fading…full of terror…energon covered servos...Prime holding him back…Ratchet trying to save the other mech…_what had he_ _done_? He'd nearly killed the mech he saw as a brother…he was a monster….lower than a Decepticon…he had to go…get away…no more pain…no more…_Please no more_…

But then the memory stopped.

Darkness…but no pain…

His angel had come to save him again…

He looked so tired…so full of grief…_don't be sad anymore Prowl_…_don't cry_…_don't hurt_…_I love you_.

He heard loving words whispered to him…calming him…making him stronger...

"I love you Bee," the angel whispered, "I love you so much. Listen to what I'm telling you. I can't and won't be without you…come back to me…please come back…

_I love you, more than anything_."

_Hold on my love, hold on_.

I'm coming.

I'm not falling.

I'm flying.

I'm coming for you.


	6. Chapter 5

Badly short fail chapter in summary, with yet another evil cliffie of doom! O_O

Enjoy that…

Echo (C) Regretfuldragon

Transformers Animated (C) Hasabro

_8888_

**Chapter 5**

"Echo?" Ratchet said from where he was tinkering with some machine.

"Yes?" she said, turning her mentor from where she was working on making sure her mother's energon supply was full.

"Do you think, your father…do you think maybe he's losing it?" he asked, looking down, "He keeps mumbling about hearing Bumblebee talking to him. His processor activity hasn't increased, nothings changed, it not possible for him to speak yet he tells me he does." Echo sighed. She'd been dreading this.

"I suppose it's his way of coping," she said, "He told me once to, but he just said to forget it."

"Well that's kinda what I needed to talk about," Ratchet said looking up again, his optics uncertain.

"You want to talk about my Dad?" she asked him.

"No, I needed to talk about Bumblebee, but it involves Prowl too," Ratchet said.

"So this is about my Mum?" she asked, her voice breaking.

"Yes," he said, "This is really a question for your Dad, but him being as he is, his answer…it wouldn't be honest. This is about your Mother, and his welfare, not Prowl's, and I think, no matter how good his intentions, the lines between them would get blurred." Echo leaned back to rest against her mothers berth.

"And what is it you need to ask me?" she asked.

"There's been no change," Ratchet said with a sigh, "He doesn't show any signs of waking up, maybe he will, but it seems more likely he won't. And even though he should be in no physical pain, the emotion pain of being stuck in your own processor is something I can't cure. I know this is hard for you to answer Echo but I need you to answer me truthfully. Do you want me to keep him online, or let him go?" Echo froze, her processor actually stalling at the questions. Her immediate answer was no, this was her mother, the bot she trusted more than any bot in the word, the bot she held closest to her spark. But that made her think. He meant so much to her, could she leave her mother in pain because she wanted her to live? Was it right for her to make this decision? But then how could she allow her mentor to offline her mother? How could she leave him in pain when there was something she could do about it? She looked down at the stasis locked bot that was her mother. He didn't look like he was in pain, but could she know for sure?

"Why?" she asked, her voice full of static sorrow, "Why do you have to ask?" Ratchet sighed.

"Because you are the only one who has the right to decide," he said, "To offline your mother, it'll be the hardest thing I'll ever do. But if it stops his pain, I will do it, even if I can't forgive myself for it afterwards."

"Do I have to decide now?" she asked, looking down and Ratchet shock his helm quickly.

"No, no, of course not," he said raising his servo's to his chassis, "Take some time to think about it. Give me your answer tomorrow." Echo nodded.

"I will," she said, not meeting his optics, "I'll see you Ratchet." She didn't feel like saying thanks to him, and to be honest, right now, she didn't feel he deserved it. With that she walked out of the med bay, looking to find the one bot she knew she could speak freely with about this.

Blurr stretched, his armour gleaming in the midday sun as he sorted through his room. There wasn't much to do nowadays with everything so wrong other than patrol, and there was only so much of that he could do. There had also been no Decepticon attacks or sightings, probably holding back to see what happened to Bumblebee. Blurr wanted to punch the wall in anger when he reminded himself of how Bumblebee had become so ill. That seeker would pay if he crossed paths with him. Out of nowhere, he heard a knock at his door.

"Come in," Blurr called and Echo made her way in, shutting the door behind her.

"Hey," she said sadly, something obviously troubling her, "Could you lend an audio? I need to talk to some bot." Blurr's spark jumped at the opportunity. What better way to get into the pretty femme's good books than to help her at her time of need?

"Of course," he said with a comforting smile, "Sit anywhere you want." She flashed him a grateful smile and sat down on the berth, and he took a seat at her side, "What's on your mind Echo?"

"Ratchet, he asked me," she began, "Something…I don't know how to answer. And I need somebot's advice, somebot who listens." Blurr nodded.

"What did he ask you?" he asked curiously, "I'll help you in anyway I can."

"Thanks Blurr," she said with a small smile, "It's just, he asked me something close to my spark." She paused, "He asked me to decide whether or not he should keep my Mum online, or just let him go." Blurr wanted to leap to his pedes and scream no, tell her that if that Primus damned medic tried to do that to Bumblebee he'd rip him apart and kick the pieces back to cybertron through a giant blender! But that was no way to talk to a femme, not one you wanted to get on the good side of.

"Why did he ask you that? Isn't that unfair of him?" Blurr merely said, tilting his head to one side, "Shouldn't that question be for your father?"

"Ratchet would have asked him," Echo said sourly, "But he's not coping well as it is, and we think he's actually starting to crack under the strain. I know he's my Dad, and to Primus I love him, but it's getting on my last circuit just how much he only thinks for himself. Not once since he went into second lock stasis has he asked me how _I_ feel, or if _I_ have anything I need to get off my chest plate. No it's all about _him_." Blurr felt taken aback by her words. He was sure by the way she acted she was a Daddy's femme all over. Maybe Prowl was loosing his touch with his daughter. That really did make Blurr's energon lines boil. How could he waste something this special?

"Don't you worry about him; if he can't get his processor out of his aft for long enough to see he's hurting you by acting like this, then how good of a father is he?" Blurr growled, allowing his temper to get the better of him. But to his immense surprise, she didn't snap at him for it.

"I know," she sighed, "I know I should let him be, but I can't. He's my Dad and that will never change. I wish I could help him so much but I can't." She looked down at her pedes, "Maybe I'm not cut out to be a medic at all."

"Now hold on," he said, taking her servo's gently, "You mustn't think that. You can be whoever you want to be. You're doing so well in your training, I've seen you, and one day, you will be a fantastic medic. Don't let your father make you think otherwise."

"You really think so?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Yes I do," he said softly, "Your clever Echo, clever and strong. You'll figure this out, I know you can." Echo slowly moved her servo's out of Blurr's and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a hug that he accepted.

"Thanks Blurr," she said, "That really means a lot to me."

"Anytime Echo, anytime," he said softly, hugging her back. This was even easier than he'd thought.

Prowl growled from outside the room, listening into everything that had been happening. So they all thought he was a nut job? And so that gave them the right to skip over him when it came to _his_ bond mate's welfare, did it? And how dare that slimy racer try to move in on his daughter like that? If he so much as laid a digit on Echo he'd readily dismantle the son of a glitch before he crushed his spark. But what hurt him more than anything were Echo's words. Was she hurting that much? Had he failed her as well? Maybe Blurr was right, just this once, maybe he wasn't a good father to Echo at all.

But that was going to change.

No son of a glitch medic would offline _his_ Bumblebee, not in Pit. He was going to stop them, how he didn't know, but he would.

And any bot that got in his way of keeping Bee online long enough for him to return, would pay for it.

Even his own daughter.

Echo knocked on the med bay door the next morning. She'd thought long and hard about what she was about to do, unaware her father had been thinking long and hard about the same thing.

But she knew what she had to do, what was best, for her, for her Dad, for everyone. But most of all, for her Mother. Ratchet quickly let her in.

"So have you decided what you want to do?" he asked and she nodded, surprisingly calm despite what he next few words could mean for her mother.

"Yes," Echo said, "I know what's best. I have decided."


	7. Chapter 6

Some of you have been waiting for this chapter to happen ;) I hope you like it :D

Transformers Animated (C) Hasabro

_8888_

**Chapter 6**

"And what have you decided?" Ratchet prompted. Echo sighed. She knew, even if it was for the best, she'd hate herself forever for it.

"Deactivate him," she said, not meeting his optics, "Dad needs this to end, I need it to end, I can't watch him like that Ratchet. He never, ever wanted to be looked after. He told me he'd want to be deactivated the day he couldn't look after himself, and I have to respect that." She felt a gentle servo on her shoulder and she looked up to see Ratchet's sympathetic and understanding gaze.

"Its Okay Echo," he said, "This will be hard for everyone, really hard. But you know best, you're his daughter after all, and no bot knows him better." _No sane bot anyway_, Ratchet added in his head. Echo nodded and looked over at her mother, hoping to get one last look at him online, but she was surprised to see him covered in one of Ratchet's tarps.

"Why did you cover him in that?" she asked and Ratchet flashed her a look of confusion before follow her gaze.

"I didn't," he said in confusion, "I never saw that on him." Ratchet moved over to the berth and took the tarp off Bumblebee. Only, it wasn't Bumblebee under that tarp. It was a pile of Ratchet's tools, made into the shape of Bumblebee, a small note on the top. Echo picked it up, recognizing her father's handwriting at once.

'_I won't let you offline him, ever_' Was written on it and Echo sighed.

"Who did this?" Ratchet asked his optics wide.

"Dad did," Echo groaned, "How in Pit he knew I have no idea, I swear he's getting as bad as Jazz for that."

"But…but he must have been in here to do this before dawn," Ratchet stammered in shock before he composed himself, "Echo we have to find him. If Bee's been away that long he could be in danger of offlining without any help. He needs that machine to keep him online!"

"I know," Echo said, "I'll get him back, don't worry. I know exactly where Dad took him."

_8888_

Prowl clutched Bumblebee to his chassis, rocking him gently as he watched the sun move across the sky. No one, and he meant _no one_, was going to offline Bumblebee. How could Ratchet even suggest it to Echo?

"_Traitor_," Prowl growled to no one in particular. Of course he'd token Bee to the first place he could think of. Dinobot Island. Sure it wasn't a great hideout, but from here he could see anyone coming a mile away.

"Its Okay Bee," Prowl said to the small bot in his arms, "I know your in there, and I'll wait for you. I promise, I won't let anything happen to you."

"You know you're the one hurting him right now don't you though?" an oh to familiar voice came and Prowl jumped, holding Bee closer to him, glaring at the femme.

"I won't let you take him," he growled at his daughter, "I won't. He's coming back, I heard him."

"Dad," Echo said softly, leaping down from the tree she'd been hiding in, "He can't come back. Please understand that."

"NO!" Prowl snarled, "He will come back, he will. And I won't let you, or Ratchet offline him."

"But Dad if you keep him here, without Ratchet's care, he will die," Echo said, moving closer, "Please, let's take him back and talk about it. I promise I won't let Ratchet do anything to him until I've spoken to you."

"No," Prowl spat, taking out his shurikens and standing protectively over Bumblebee, "You'll talk, and offline him anyway. I'll fight to keep him, don't you think I won't."

"Your going to attack me?" she asked in a small voice that made Prowl freeze, and she as she hoped, think about what he was doing. _I…I can't_…Prowl thought, _This is Echo…I can't hurt her…No_! Prowl dropped his shurikens and fell to his knees.

"No…I…I can't…" Prowl said, looking down, "Primus what have I _done_…?" Her father sounded so hopeless, so distraught, it stung Echo's spark. Never, had she heard such an upset sound from her father, not ever.

"Its Okay Dad," she said moving forward, "It'll all be-" But she was cut off when she felt a servo's grab her from behind, one around the neck, the other arm secured around her waist.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" Starscream cackled, making Prowl look up as he took off into the air, hovering above Prowl, "Looks like that Autobot finally offlined. How about another test subject to be sure hmm?" Prowl snarled. Blurr stand aside, he loathed this bot with his entire spark. He'd done this to them, and he was going to pay.

"You!" Prowl half snarled, half spat, his visor flashing dangerously, "I'm going to rip your wings off and shove them right up your aft, while dismantling that black spark of yours, piece by piece. Get your filthy servo's of my DAUGHTER!" Prowl leapt at Starscream, but he was weaker now, and Starscream kicked him away easily, leaving a burn mark on his chassis as he was flung into a tree, landing in a dazed heap.

"NO DAD!" Echo cried, squirming in the Decepticons grasp, "Let me g-" But Echo froze, as did Starscream, as a shuriken flew through the air, lodging itself in Starstream's helm. _But Dad hasn't gotten back up yet_, Echo thought, _so who_…? But she got her answer almost immediately.

"Get your filthy slimy no good servo's of my daughter you son of a glitch!" came an achingly familiar voice and Echo watched, stunned, as a blur of yellow leapt off the ground and spun kicked Starscream straight in the jaw, causing him to drop Echo. Echo landed in a crouch, straightening up in shock almost at once, as did her father.

"Mum!" Echo yelled in surprise as Bumblebee landed next to her. Bumblebee turned and grinned at his daughter.

"Come on," he said, "You didn't think I was gonna miss this party did ya?" Bumblebee turned back to Starscream, snarling, "I've been waiting months for this." He brought out his stingers and aimed them at the seeker.

"You know what happens when you coop me up for too long?" Bumblebee said with a smirk, "I get a lot of stored energy. Which right now, is a big problem for you fly boy." Electricity sparked around his stingers and he shot a blast, hitting Starscream on the chassis. Normally Bumblebee's blast wouldn't bother the seeker, but he'd been storing energy for months, and the result…Starscream screamed in pain and fell to the floor. Bumblebee run over and stood over him.

"And you can thank my bond mate for this trick," Bumblebee growled and he grabbed Starscream's helm with his pedes, doing a flip, he flung the Decepticon across to where Prowl was standing, staring in shock. But he broke out of it when Starscream landed at his pedes. Prowl growled and glared down at him.

"Now Autobot please," Starscream half whined, half begged, "Have mercy." Prowl picked the seeker up by the throat and pinned him against a tree.

"You didn't show us any mercy," Prowl snarled, "You'll pay for what you did." With that, Prowl grabbed his arms, and kicked the seeker right in the chassis, sending him flying to Echo's pedes, his arms ripped off. Starscream cried in pain. Echo growled and picked him up.

"Never mess with my Mum or my Dad," she growled, punching him in the face. Prowl smirked and threw his arms over into the forest.

"Fetch," Prowl growled, "Echo if you'll do the honours."

"With pleasure," Echo said smirking. She threw Starscream, now armless, into the air, and when he came down she used the side kick her father had taught her to send the seeker flying after his arms, and into the forest.

"Now that, felt good," Bumblebee said, walking over, "Good to watch to. Nice hit Echo."

"Mum!" Echo squeaked and she threw her arms around him, "You're online! You're Okay!"

"Of course I am sweetspark," he said softly, hugging his daughter back, "You didn't think I was gonna let you get away that easy did you?" Echo giggled and stepped back, turning to watch her Dad. Prowl moved forward as though he was in a dream.

"Bee?" he asked uncertainly. He was sure he was going to wake up any second and Bee would still be in second lock stasis. _Primus if this is a dream, don't bother waking me up_, Prowl thought.

"I'm here Prowl," Bumblebee said softly, holding out his hand for Prowl to take. Feeling like a sparkling, Prowl took the offered servo and Bumblebee pulled him in closer.

"Is…Is this real?" Prowl asked, his optics searching the smaller bot.

"Do you think you have the imagination to dream up this perfection?" Bumblebee asked, optic ridge raised as he laid a servo on Prowl's cheek affectionately. Prowl put his servo over Bumblebee's, as though he was trying to see if he was no more than a ghost. But he could already feel the cracks in his spark healing, the heart break, the grief, it fixed, now he was back, now he was whole again. Prowl quickly pulled the smaller bot into a hug, startling the younger for a moment, until he relaxed and hugged his ninja-bot back.

"It's really you," Prowl said softly, between clicks, the oil tears falling, "Your really back."

"Of course I am silly, do you think I'd leave you when I promised I wouldn't?" Bumblebee said softly. Prowl smiled and drew back enough to put his helm on top of Bumblebee's, his arms still around him.

"I missed you, so much," Prowl said softly, then he pressed his lips gently to his, enjoying the first loving contact he'd had with his little bonded in months. Bumblebee's engine hummed in content, pressing deeper into the kiss. Echo rolled her optics. Would her parents ever change? Then she grinned, knowing they wouldn't. They would love each other until the end of time. Her own spark hummed longingly, and she knew what it wanted, what she wanted. She wanted arms around her, to hug her lovingly, to share a bond deeper than anything, just like the one her parents had. And she knew which bot she wanted. As Echo watched her parents, she imagined Blurr in place of her own father, and her spark boiled with jealousy, making her blush and look down. She shouldn't feel jealous of her mother and Blurr; after all, there was nothing between them. Blurr had told her he himself knew there was no way he would ever win her mother's spark now, and he did want to waste time trying. Echo thought to herself with a grin, _now it's my turn_.


End file.
